Milwaukee Midget

[Milwaukee Midget]

We can do it, but we're at the point where we can't afford any surprises, and I can't make any miscalculations.

I feel like Barney Fife.

DSCN5689 by Chris Conrad, on Flickr

I was 16 when I last broke a ring - that was on a class project in shop - an old Stovebolt 6.  I know better than this.

Total Seal was out of stock, but could get me a replacement built in 5 days.  

That's a non-starter.

A call to Perfect Circle/whoevertheymergedwith and a sympathetic ear got me a direct number to Hastings.  

At Hastings, Gloria put me through to Donna, I gave her the dimensions and . . .

Discontinued.

BUT . . .

They still had stock on the shelf, despite the computer indicating otherwise.

Two will be here Friday - one to use, one to lose.

So FINAL final assembly will occur on Saturday.

The head looks stunning - it's all shimmed and ready to go.  Thank you, Mark.

Meanwhile - back in Beerhaven . . .

I grabbed the throttle bodies and have them located and mocked up on a cardboard box in the engine bay of the Midget.  I've got 3 adapters waiting for me at Pegasus, and I should be able to finalize the fuel plumbing tomorrow evening.

I also brought the header back to locate the O2 Sensor.

Back to Solder City.

[wobblywalrus]

Is the cylinder bore OK?

[Milwaukee Midget]

Is the cylinder bore OK?

Bore is fine.

It never got that far.  I snapped it attempting to put it on the piston. 

[Lemming Motors]

So Piston Broke is literal. Always figured it was related to drinking and finances.

[Milwaukee Midget]

This is a testament to Mark's machining skills.

I received the ring from Hastings yesterday, and I brought it down to the shop today.

This was the second ring - cast iron.  Diameter was good, as was the thickness, but the radial wall thickness was about .006 too thick.  We put it on the piston, and it simply wasn't going to work - it extended past the piston.

We're under the gun, so Mark made a fixture, TAPED the ring to the fixture, and brought the ring into spec.  So by using only the tension of the sleeve and green 3M masking tape, the ring was rightsized.

1532790859772.temp by Chris Conrad, on Flickr

Yes, we lost the chamfer on the inside, but I spent some extra time and energy with some emory cloth and put a touch of relief into the inside edge.  It's in the engine, and we're rolling with it.

And yes - we're still pressing on.

[wheelrdealer]

The Midget will not be denied its opportunity to visit the 2018 Impound area.

See you on the salt Chris.

BR

[fordboy628]

It will require a quick little machining operation. 

Quick, little machining operation [note missing comma - when seconds count the cops are only minutes away] is called a double-negative oxymoron! 

I know, 'cause the one I did yesterday took 3-1/2 hours! 

YES, it is always that way, because racers are the most optimistic DOPES residing on the planet . . . . . .

And it is not like we don't know better, because we do, based on the prior "bad experiences" that we have run across, or have been forced into . . . . .


Small clarification . . . .

I used to be a "pretty good" machinist.   Meaning that I could usually fix what I screwed up during the process . . . . .        But, several years of being able to concentrate on engineering, coupled with being able to direct really talented machinists to create what I cogitated, has "rusted" my skills.

Nevertheless, with backs to the wall from the greater radial thickness of the replacement rings, we resume Bullwinkle's story . . . . .

This is a testament to Mark's machining skills.

I received the ring from Hastings yesterday, and I brought it down to the shop today.

This was the second ring - cast iron.  Diameter was good, as was the thickness, but the radial wall thickness was about .006 too thick.  We put it on the piston, and it simply wasn't going to work - it extended past the piston.

We're under the gun, so Mark made a fixture, TAPED the ring to the fixture, and brought the ring into spec.  So by using only the tension of the sleeve and green 3M masking tape, the ring was rightsized.

1532790859772.temp by Chris Conrad, on Flickr

Yes, we lost the chamfer on the inside, but I spent some extra time and energy with some emory cloth and put a touch of relief into the inside edge.  It's in the engine, and we're rolling with it.

And yes - we're still pressing on.

Kinda, sorta, true . . . . .    Here are the details left out of the hastily posted version

A/   Trauma ensues:

Unidentified participant:   "Hey look!  Replacement rings!  We're all good."

Me:  "That's nice.   Check it in the piston."

Unidentified participant:   "Seems to fit nice in the groove."

Me:  "Check the width against the groove depth."

Unidentified participant:  "It fits."

Me:  "No, see if the ring sticks out past the land face when bottomed in the groove."

Unidentified participant:  "Come and check this out."

Me:  "Sh*t! ! !


2/   Un-Rectalfication:

Unidentified participant:  "Looks like we're screwed."

Me:  "Let's check for some stock."

Sooo, I scrounged around and found bit of round 6061T6, which I had intended to machine into a tapered piston/ring installation collar, should the need arise.    Present situation took precedence . . . . . .
Walked over to the lathe, AND, of course, 3.5" diameter was just slightly too large for the 3 jaw chuck with std jaws . . . . .

At this point I'd like to ask what is now a rhetorical question:   How useful, really, is 1 external jaw for a 3 jaw chuck? ? ?

But, there was . . . . . the rusty f*ck, never used, 4 jaw chuck, lying on the floor to the side of the lathe . . . . . .    Hmmmm . . . . . .

Me:  "Clean this piece of sh*t up while I remove the 3 jaw chuck."


d/   Deliverance:    (Sort of.    Good news was that nobody had to squeal like a pig . . . .)

OK.  With the 4 jaw chuck attached to the headstock, I "rough centered" the chunk of alloy and faced it off square.   Then I machined a 2.971" diameter recess the depth of the ring width, +.002".   I installed the ring in the "fixture", making certain it was fully inserted.   Holding my breath,  I "touched off" the boring tool to the I.D. of the ring.   Setting the cross slide for the difference in ring radial thickness, +.001", I began carefully boring out the I.D.

ACCCKKK!   Near disaster! ! !   As I began boring, the ring started "walking" out of the "fixture" groove.  Dam*!   This is why ring manufacturers use special, dedicated fixtures with radial clamps to hold rings for modification . . . . .     What to do?    Machining up a proper clamp would take who knows how long.    So, I pushed the ring back into the "fixture" with a small screwdriver, and had my co-conspirator tear me off bits of trusty masking tape, which I placed around the complete O.D. of the ring and fixture, using the tape to "hold" the ring in position while taking a very light, everybody hold your breath cut . . . . . .

Success!   Well, I'm not proud of it, BUT, I'll take it.   Ring measured up .001"/.0015" radially thinner than the original.  And, everybody got to breath again.

It got installed after the aforementioned deburring by the midget . . . .


And so, boys and girls, we move on the next clusterf*ck . . . . .

Not sure what it is, but like an asteroid aimed at the Earth, I know it's coming . . . . . . .

    
Usedtobeamachinistboy

[fordboy628]

Just to "hammer this home" . . . . .

It will require a quick little machining operation. 


Quick, little machining operation [note missing comma - when seconds count the cops are only minutes away] is called a double-negative oxymoron! 
I know, 'cause the one I did yesterday took 3-1/2 hours! 

Yep!   That's the way it works.    And to substantiate your point, the average time that the "small, quick projects consume on this project has been 3 to 4 hours, EACH.

And there are a few more of these quick, little projects, still left to accomplish . . . . . . .

Racers are the most "optimisty" primates on the planet . . . . .

         
Tryingtoberealisticboy

    
mbhammer

[fordboy628]

Rover Porn Sunday! ! ! !  part one . . . . .

OK, while the Hungarian Gran Prix runs to its' conclusion, "catch-up" photo posting will ensue . . . .

The "co-mingling" of the species.    Final version, museum quality photos . . . . .    No time for detailed captions.


These 3 show the fit-up with the dyno adaptor plate installed.







The balance of these photos show the fit-up of the block to the adaptor plate and thence the gearbox.


We can not forget about this little detail that needs modification . . . .










Not shown:   Internal modifications to the bellhousing part of the gearbox to add clearance to the starter pinion in it new location while engaged with the ring gear for starting.

     
Porncameraman

[fordboy628]

Rover Porn Sunday! ! ! !  part two . . . . .

Oil pan modification update.    We had some leaks in the original welding of the modified oil pan.

After having Vikingboy "remelt" his original effort, the test results were: NO LEAKS! !


Compare these photos of the offending weld zone to the originals . . . .








     
Porncameraman

[fordboy628]

Rover Porn Sunday! ! ! !  part three . . . . .

Psssttt, Hey Meester, I know a guy who can hone your . . . . . thing . . . . .


Prepped for the honing process.



Photos of the cylinder final sizing process.   Diamond stones using a Sunnen semi-automatic machine.








Clear communication about sizing is needed for your shop to perform good work.


And you shop needs to be able to work to these tolerances.  2 photos.




     
Porncameraman

[fordboy628]

Rover Porn Sunday! ! ! !  part four . . . . .

Public service request.   The authorities in 2 midwestern states are requesting the help of the public in identifying this individual.   He is wanted for questioning as a person of interest in the case of repeated over-modification of various MG products; and the inhuman treatment of, and "experimentation" on "midgets" . . . .





The public is urged to call:  1-888-3825-647

 
Publicseviceboy

[Seldom Seen Slim]

It's stuff like this - these posts from Chris and Mark - that got the MM car on the Salt Talks t-shirt this year.  Stuff like this is priceless and I wanted to make sure lots of folks could see the car and ask about it.

Thanks, Gentlemen![/size]

[Buamotorsport]

I am so looking forward to seeing this.

[ggl205]

I think I see some Sunnen PFT brush tools in the hone head? Excellent post honing tools for cylinder finishing, especially after super abrasives (diamond or CBN) are used. Mated to pre lapped ring faces, you get a near fully broken in ring pack without all the wear (uncontrolled machining?) from hot run break-in.

John